Gorgoroth, the band that some years ago resembled a veritable
soap opera when different fractions fought for the right to the name
is back with their 9th studio album (not counting the re-recording of
'Under the Sign of Hell') 'Instinctus Bestialis'. Led by the winner
from said legal bonanza, guitarist Infernus, the band that I have come
to associate with ferocious up-tempo, yet melodic, black metal has taken
a rather different approach on this one.

Gone are any traces of lo-fi production and gone is most
the typical distorted black metal guitar sound. Instead, we get fed
with a rather polished production with a neat clean mid-tempo oriented
sound especially from the guitars. New vocalist Atterigner also delivers
a rather different sound than his predecessors in the band. Slightly
growling, yet rather clean and pronounced, the best reference that comes
to mind is Grimnir Votansfolk on Grand Belial's Key's 'Kosherat' album.
In fact, the entire sound on 'Instinctus Bestialis' bears that clean
and stripped down mark of the American's brilliant swansong.

Clean production usually means accessibility, but on 'Instinctus
Bestialis' the sound more confuses at first than invites the listener.
Once penetrating that barrier there are unfortunate few songs that actually
meets the standard of the bands previous peaks. Some riffs and vocals
lines are quite excellent but even more feels like run of the mill black
metal. Not bad per se, but we should expect more from these veterans.
They could write an album on pure routine and that might very well be
the case, since I miss a hunger, a dedication or something.

The initiated who have the time will find few worthwhile
pieces on 'Instinctus Bestialis' once penetrating the production and
die-hard fans might very well find something more than I have managed
to. The occasional listener, however, ought to explore Gorgoroth's back
catalogue first.